If you're a resident of Taichung and have used the ambulance service provided by the Fire Bureau of the Taichung City Government in the past year, you might have observed firefighters using a tablet instead of communicating via radio before taking you to the hospital. They weren't just using the tablet for leisure; this was part of the Pre-Hospital Notification system, which has been utilized by the Fire Bureau since the end of 2022. This system ensures that patient information is thoroughly transmitted, thereby safeguarding public safety.
According to the Fire Bureau, once firefighters enter a patient's vital signs and basic information into the tablet and send it off, the information is instantly transmitted to both the hospital and the Fire Bureau's emergency command center without the need for repeated radio updates. This system ensures that the patient's real-time information is communicated thoroughly and accurately. In cases where the patient's condition is critical, an alert is triggered at the hospital, allowing medical staff to prepare ahead of time. This system received the top award in last year's Government Efficiency and Innovation Performance Evaluation competition, organized by the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission of the Taichung City Government. The Fire Bureau noted that after the Pre-Hospital Notification system was introduced, 70% of the cases that used to rely on radio reports for patient updates are now managed through this system, freeing up radio communication for other critical matters.
This year, the Fire Bureau is advancing further by extending the Pre-Hospital Notification system to cover cases where patients are not transported to the hospital. The objective is to have over 90% of emergency medical services use the Pre-Hospital Notification system to report patient conditions. Committed to creating a livable city, the Fire Bureau is continuously refining its emergency medical services. Using technology to boost reporting efficiency in emergency cases, they aim to keep pace with Taichung City's growth and establish a strong foundation for a happy and livable Taichung.